At 1-3, the Browns are just one of the lesser teams. But they’ve struggled despite also playing the easiest schedule. They’ve lost to the Giants and Raiders, and they barely snuck past winless Jacksonville.
Cleveland’s four opponents, in fact, have gone only 2-10 in their other games. That makes the slow start even more troubling. It may be getting Nick Chubb back at practice this week, but this isn’t a team that will be turning things around.
Deshaun Watson (pictured) is the headliner of Cleveland’s problems. He’s got a bad contract, and he can’t seem to get back to where he was at early in his career with the Texans.
The Bills are the other team that’s benefitted thus far from scheduling, with its wins coming against Arizona, Miami and Jacksonville. Buffalo’s opponents are 3-9 in other games.
The Bucs, Broncos and Ravens, on the other hand, have thus far played the hardest schedules (based on wins and losses, anyway). Those teams have all played four games against teams with a combined 9-3 record in their other games.
SCHEDULING, WINS (G 1-4) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | Pct |
Cleveland | 2 | 10 | .167 |
Buffalo | 3 | 9 | .250 |
Carolina | 4 | 8 | .333 |
Dallas | 4 | 8 | .333 |
Jacksonville | 4 | 8 | .333 |
Las Vegas | 4 | 8 | .333 |
Miami | 4 | 8 | .333 |
NY Jets | 4 | 8 | .333 |
Tennessee | 4 | 8 | .333 |
Chicago | 5 | 7 | .417 |
LA Rams | 5 | 7 | .417 |
New England | 5 | 7 | .417 |
New Orleans | 5 | 7 | .417 |
Washington | 5 | 7 | .417 |
Cincinnati | 6 | 6 | .500 |
San Francisco | 6 | 6 | .500 |
Seattle | 6 | 6 | .500 |
Arizona | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Detroit | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Green Bay | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Houston | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Kansas City | 7 | 5 | .583 |
NY Giants | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Philadelphia | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Pittsburgh | 7 | 5 | .583 |
Indianapolis | 8 | 4 | .667 |
LA Chargers | 8 | 4 | .667 |
Minnesota | 8 | 4 | .667 |
Atlanta | 9 | 3 | .750 |
Baltimore | 9 | 3 | .750 |
Denver | 9 | 3 | .750 |
Tampa Bay | 9 | 3 | .750 |
It’s early in the season, but the current win-loss record indicate the Patriots, Eagles and Bengals will play the easiest schedules the rest of the way. (Most of the rest of the way, anyway; with fantasy leagues tending to be over before Week 18, I’m leaving those games out.)
As things stand, the Falcons and 49ers should be playing the hardest schedules coming up.
SCHEDULING, WINS (G 5-16) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | Pct |
New England | 19 | 29 | .396 |
Philadelphia | 20 | 28 | .417 |
Cincinnati | 21 | 27 | .438 |
Miami | 21 | 27 | .438 |
Minnesota | 21 | 27 | .438 |
Washington | 21 | 27 | .438 |
Indianapolis | 22 | 26 | .458 |
LA Chargers | 22 | 26 | .458 |
Denver | 23 | 25 | .479 |
Houston | 23 | 25 | .479 |
Pittsburgh | 23 | 25 | .479 |
Seattle | 23 | 25 | .479 |
Tampa Bay | 23 | 25 | .479 |
Arizona | 24 | 24 | .500 |
New Orleans | 24 | 24 | .500 |
Tennessee | 24 | 24 | .500 |
Baltimore | 25 | 23 | .521 |
Buffalo | 25 | 23 | .521 |
Detroit | 25 | 23 | .521 |
Green Bay | 25 | 23 | .521 |
Jacksonville | 25 | 23 | .521 |
LA Rams | 25 | 23 | .521 |
Las Vegas | 25 | 23 | .521 |
NY Jets | 25 | 23 | .521 |
Cleveland | 26 | 22 | .542 |
Dallas | 26 | 22 | .542 |
Kansas City | 26 | 22 | .542 |
NY Giants | 26 | 22 | .542 |
Carolina | 27 | 21 | .563 |
Chicago | 27 | 21 | .563 |
Atlanta | 28 | 20 | .583 |
San Francisco | 28 | 20 | .583 |
If we’re using points rather than wins, the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys project to play the easiest schedules going forward. (The 49ers coming next, confirming that there are lies, damn lies and statistics.)
Cleveland, Baltimore and Kansas City (by the numbers) should have the hardest schedules for the remainder using points scored.
SCHEDULING, POINTS (G 5-16) | ||
---|---|---|
Team | Avg | |
Philadelphia | 24.6 | 1181 |
NY Giants | 22.5 | 1079 |
Dallas | 22.5 | 1078 |
San Francisco | 22.4 | 1077 |
Tampa Bay | 22.4 | 1075 |
Chicago | 22.3 | 1071 |
Pittsburgh | 22.3 | 1071 |
New England | 22.3 | 1068 |
Miami | 22.2 | 1067 |
Minnesota | 22.0 | 1058 |
Washington | 22.0 | 1057 |
Green Bay | 22.0 | 1055 |
NY Jets | 22.0 | 1055 |
Houston | 22.0 | 1054 |
New Orleans | 21.7 | 1043 |
Tennessee | 21.7 | 1042 |
Seattle | 21.4 | 1028 |
Detroit | 21.4 | 1027 |
Arizona | 21.3 | 1021 |
LA Rams | 21.2 | 1019 |
Denver | 21.1 | 1014 |
Buffalo | 21.1 | 1012 |
Carolina | 20.9 | 1005 |
Jacksonville | 20.8 | 999 |
Atlanta | 20.6 | 991 |
Indianapolis | 20.6 | 991 |
Cincinnati | 20.4 | 979 |
LA Chargers | 20.4 | 977 |
Las Vegas | 20.2 | 971 |
Kansas City | 20.2 | 968 |
Baltimore | 19.9 | 953 |
Cleveland | 19.8 | 950 |
—Ian Allan